Motion-picture projector



July 1o, 192s f. .1,676,542

E. C. FRITTS -MOTIQN' PICTURE PROJECTOR Filed Nov. 14, 1925V Patented July 41c, 192s..

UNITED STATES EDWIN C.- FRITTS, OF

' PANY, 0F R00 This invention relates to photography,

ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNQR TO EASTM-AN KOiDAK COM- HESTER, NEW YORK, .A .CORPORATION 0F NEWl YORK.

MOTION-marcan PROJECTOR.

Application iled November 14, 1925. SeriaiNo. 69,142.

and more particularly to projection machines of relatively simple type designed primarily position for home u se. One object of my vide a safety shutter an operative rest, and one which will be automatically opened when the projector is moved at a predetermined speed.

safety shutter mounted axially-of provide a the projection shutte ing of substantially other obje the same shape.

Another object is to the two shutters be- .All-j ct Is to provide shutters of a complementary shape so t hat they may together -form a disc when 1n an operative position plates of vide light other obje a manner the shutter openings of the usual type.

to mount the shutters 1n ct is and when in an inoperative position the may telescope to {Xgsuch that the inertia of the parts will shutter to its inthe projector and to its operative position in stopping the Another object of my invention projector.

is to provi the two shu ment and the parts de suitable connections between4 tters to limit their relative movewhich will also tend to retain the are rapidly ject of my invention shutter mech rapidly o stopping perated by the parts o r fromv features being pointed out tter in an vinoperative position to the projection shutter whenv rotated. Another obis to provide a safety anism which may bevery suddenly starting or f the projector.

my invention is to provide a while preventing heat may permit sufto project still picthe film; and other the following speciin the claims at the end thereof.

Coming reference now to the characters throughout z Fig. 1 is a s jector construe lustrating drawings wherein like denote like parts ide elevation of a typical proted in accordance with and ilone embodiment of my invention.

de elevation of ,one sideof pped with my safety device,

removed from the projector. A

Fig. 3 is an elevation of the reverse side of the shutter from that shown in Fig. 2, ,the parts being in a safety position,

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but with the partsin another position; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary section on line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

.As a preferred embodiment ofmy invention, I have illustrated a simple type of projector which may comprise a base 1, a pair of spaced supporting plates 2 (only one being shown Ain the drawing), which are idler rollers 11 over a driven sprocket 12l about a housingl3 and through the gate 14. From this gate the film again passes over this sprocket 12 behind the idlers 11 and then to the take-up reel 10. Light ispasfeed from a suitable lamp house 16 through opening 17 in the plates 2 after which it is refiected by a mirror 18 through the film held at the gate 14. Suitable condensers, of course, may be used. 4

Coming now to my invention, the shutter mechanism consists of a projector shutter 20vprovided with three-blades21. To shutter 20 is attached a tubular shaft 22 which terminates in a gear 23. The gear 23, through the gear train 35, 36 and 37, may be driven by means of the shaft 38 which also carries the sprocket 12. Shaft 38 carries a crank 39 and a handle 40. ln the illustrated projector the parts are manually driven. f i y The sleeve shaft 22 is mounted/upon `a shaft 34, so that the shutters maybe rotated by turning handle 40. Sleeve shaft 22 p carries asafety shutter 24 which is complementary in shape to shutter 20, being provided with three blades 25, each of which is A\perforated at 26. As best shown in Fig. 5, shutter24 may turn. upon the sleeve shaft 22. The movement of shutter 24, relative to shutter 20, is defined by a weight 271pivoted lat 28 to shutter 24, and being adapted to move in the weight guideway 29 which is cut in shutter 20. When the weight is in the position shown in Fig. 3, shutter 24 is in its operative position, in which the blades 25 lie between the blades 21 of shutter 20.

A iight s ring 32 amaaiI by 'a tud so on] shutter 20' ypressing-on a-.pin 33 carried by the safety shutter tendsto hold the partsV in the positionshown in Figs. 2l and 3. Pin BOniay move through slot 31 in t-he safety `shutter 24 when'the shuttersare relatively i .moved The inoperative vposition of thegsafe- 40 may be slowly turned and gradually brought up to the normal' projection speed. When turned in this manner the two shutters will turn together and shutter 24 willrem'ain f in its operative position untill the projector parts nearly reach their normal projection 1; speed, at which time the weight 27, assisted l l,by the inertia of the safety shutter, will cause the arts to slowly assume the inoperative over apping position shown in Fig. 4.

Second, handle 40 may be suddenly turned so that the acceleration of the shutter 20 will permit the shutter 24 to immediately lag behind and the weight 27 to immediately move through its guideway 29 so that projection may commence at once. If operated in this manner a very few frames of pictures are lost.

In a similar manner the closing of the safety shutter to its operative position as projection ceases may also be accomplished either slowly or quickly. Where the handle 40 is gradually turned at a reduced speed,

the spring 32, assisted. by the momentum of the shutter 24, closes the safety shutter. If, however, the handle 40 is stopped comparatively suddenly, asforinstance in a single revolution, the sudden stopping of shutter 2() will cause the shutter 24vto quickly assume its operative position. Thi'stis avery useful feature because it is sometimes desirable to stop suddenly to Jshow `a`still picture.

To shov stills, 1t is necessary to turn handle 40 until a perforated blade 25 lies in the light path. The perforations 26 are of sufclent size and are spaced apart so that sucient light rays are passed to project a satisfactory still picture. There is, however, suficient metal lying'in the path ofthe light rays to dissipate enough heat rays to protect the stationary film from burning orbeing otherwise spoiled yby heat.

In the preferred illustrated form of my invention, the 'main shutter 20 is of relatively heavy metal since this serves to steady hand operation of the moving parts. The safety shutter 24 may be of relatively light metal and the weight 27 is preferably of the same thickness as the main shutter, since this permits a compact arrangement. By assembling the main and safety shutters together, these parts may be made to function properly before inserting into the projector.

Fig. 4, in whichposij lVth the structure above described the ae-Lv tion of the' safety shutter is entirely autoshutter, it is not necessary to depend entirely :upon the weight 27 as a centrifugal safety shutter actuating member for opening the shutters for projection nor upon the spring 32 as the sole means for closing the safety shutter.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim'as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In a motion picture projector, the combination with a'blade shutter, of a safety shutter .adapted to ycooperate therewith, the two shutters being movably mounted with respect to each other, means including a weight on one shutter and a guidewa* for the Weight on the other shutter forA de ning the movement of one shutter relativeto the other. Y,

2. In a. motion picture projector, the come bination with a blade shutter, of a safety shutter adapted tocooperate therewith, a Shaft for supporting one shutter, the other 'shutter being adapted to turn axially of the shaft with respect to the first shutter, a spring tending to hold the two' shutters in a fixed relation and a weight operable by centrifugal force adapted to hold the shutters in another position 'with respect to each other, said weight bein carried by one shutter and havv shutter. y

31. In a motion picture projector, the combination with a shutter having blades, of a safety shutter havin.;` blades, the two shutters being mountedv axially of each other and being movable With respect to each other, meansfor limiting the movement of one shutter relative to the other includinga weight and ay weight` guideway. said weight being pivotally attached to a shutter and being adapted to be moved by centrifugal force to a position in which the shuttersare in a projecting position.

In a motion picture projector, the combination with a` pair of axially mounted shutters of similar shape, "and each having a plurality of shutter blades, of means for causin the` blades to overlap including a centrifugal governor, the, governor being attached to one shutter and having a slidable connection with' the other, whereby the two -force when the shutters are rotated.l

6. In a picture projecting machine, including a source of light, an optical system and a film gate, the combination of a heat dispersing shutter comprising a plurality of oraminous b'lades, a 'shaft upon which this shutter is mounted, a second shutter of similar shape to the first mentionedshutter, a'

sleeve shaft upon which the second shutter is mounted, Vmeans for normally holding the shutters with their blades spaced to inter-A cept the light beam whereby a still picture may be safely projected, a light beam passing through a foraminous blade, means for overcoming the shutter holdingr means by rotating the shutters, and controlling means for altering the relative position of the two shutters whereby motion pictures may be projected by causing the rotating means'to .turn the shutter and to actuate the control member whereby the blades ofthe two shutters may be made to overlap.

A 7. In a projector, the combination with a main shutter, of means for rotating the main shutter, a supplementary shutter mounted to turn relative to the main'shutter, each of the shutters having blades, the blades of the supplementary shutter being of foraminous material, means to rotate4 the shutters With their blades in overlapping relation for projecting motion pictures and means for projecting stills through a forarninous blade.

8. In a projector the combination-with a main blade shutter, of a complementary main shutter, the complementary shutter being mounted axially of the shaft and being adapted t'o move relative tothe main shutter, a foraminous blade on the complementary shutter, and means for rotating the tw'o shutters with their respective blades separated for protecting a film and with their .blades in overlapping relation for project- Ablade shutter, a shaft for supporting the 

